For example, bet on either red or black for each spin. This type of outside bet pays 1 to 1 and covers 18 of the 38 possible combinations. Place two bets of equal amounts on two outside bets: one bet on an even-money play and the other on a column or dozen that pays 2 to 1. Red or Black – This bet pays out even odds (1 to 1) if the ball lands on the color you chose. Odd or Even – This bet pays out even odds (1 to 1) if the ball lands on odd or even, depending on which you chose. Therefore, the odds against winning with a Straight Up bet on 32 Red are equal to 36/1. These reversed odds are normally used by gambling establishments to list the payouts of the winning bets. The smaller the likelihood of winning with a given roulette bet, the greater the return offered by the house.

1. Odds Red And Black Roulette
2. Odds Of Roulette Red Or Black

How many times in a row has a little ball landed in the same pocket of a Roulette wheel, i.e. how many times has a single number occurred in a row? And how about the same color? What is the probability of these events and a potential impact on a play?

Record Occurrence of a Single Number in Roulette

The probability that any single number occurs is 1/37 in French Roulette and 1/38 in American Roulette (there are 36 numbers + zero + double zero in American Roulette). There is no doubt that it is a great coincidence when the same number comes up again and again.

The longest reliable series was registered at the hotel El San Chuan in Puerto Rico on 9 June 1959. During the course of the American Roulette, number ten occurred even six times in a row! The probability of such (successive) events is determined by a multiplication of individual events. Therefore the probability that the same number comes up six times in a row is:

(1/38) ˟ (1/38) ˟ (1/38) ˟ (1/38) ˟ (1/38) ˟ (1/38), that is:

(1/38)6 = 0.000000000332122593261671.

That is a very small number indeed, roughly three billionths only. If we convert this probability into true odds that would have to be offered to us by a casino, we get the value 3,010,936,384 to one. The true (fair) odds are calculated as a reciprocal of the probability, that is 1 ÷ probability. If such a bet on a series of outcomes was possible in Roulette, we would win $3 billion for a $1 bet(!)

It is important to add that the above-mentioned calculation of probability deals with a multiple (successive) events, i.e. we can ask this question: What is the probability that the same number in Roulette comes up 6 times in a row?

Since it would be a different case if e.g. number 10 occurred and after that before the new spin we asked what was the probability that number ten came up again? In this case the answer would be 1/38 (in terms of American Roulette), because any number could occur with the same probability 1/38 in every new spin. That is what we call a simple event in contrast with a multiple event(s) whereas the probabilities of individual events are multiplied (→ Articles on Probability).

The true odds for a 1 to 10fold repetition of the same number are shown in the table below. It is the same mechanism as if a sporting bet company or a casino offered the odds for a victory of some home team in some football match (→ The Odds Determination and Calculation).

The odds are reciprocal values of the probabilities – the higher they are, the lower the probabilities are. The case of the above-mentioned record series is marked green. Consider also the difference that is made by one extra number in American Roulette (the double zero).

Record Repetition of the Same Color in Roulette

There are no exceptions that the same color appeared more than 20 times in a row in practice. The record was registered in 1943, when red color came up 32 times in a row! The probability of such event in French Roulette is (18/37)32 = 0.000000000096886885 with the corresponding odds 10,321,314,387:1.

The probability of the 32fold repetition of the same color in American Roulette is much more lower: (18/38)32 = 0.00000000004127100756 and the odds are 24,230,084,485:1. Thus this is even less likely than occurrence of a single number six times in a row. Again it is clearly demonstrated what kind of importance (a negative one for players) has just one extra number in American Roulette.

Now imagine that you used the Martingale betting strategy (→ see the first test of the Martingale system), whereas the next bet is doubled if your bet loses...

→ Testing & Simulations of Roulette Bets & Strategies

Betting on the red or the black in roulette. Is this the most famous of all the roulette bets? Probably. It´s been the bet that had the most exposure in films and so on.

A bet on the red or the black is an even money bet, of course, in that the house pays out 1:1. So if you bet £10 and win, you win £10, plus you get your bet back, so the house pays you £20. You use these bets in all sorts of roulette systems such as the Single Column Even Bets, for example, which combines a red or black bet with a single column bet.

You cover half the table covering numbers like black 6, 17 and 26. actually you don´t- remember there is a 0 pocket on the wheel (assuming you are playing European Roulette), and that takes your coverage down to 48.6%. The difference gives you the house advantage which is 2.6% for European Roulette and 5.2% on American Roulette (spot the obvious- always play European rather than American if you can).

If you play American Roulette, your coverage goes down to 47.4% and the house edge ticks up to 5.2%. (Tip- always play European variants in preference to Amercan).

Many people play red and black bets, and never try out anything else. There´s nothing wrong with that, just remember you get the same odds and table coverage on odd/even and 1-18/19-36 should you want to mix it up a bit. The odds are the same. In fact, the odds are the same for all roulette bets with the exception of the 5 Number Bet which you should avoid.

La Partage

The other thing to look out for, is casinos that play “La Partage Rule” on even money bets. This tends to be the French Roulette variants. You´ll get half your bet back if you bet on the red (or black) and the ball drops in the zero pocket. This reduces the house edge even further down to 1.3%

Odds Red And Black Roulette

The Best Casino and Variant to play red or black bets in roulette?

Odds Of Roulette Red Or Black

Referring back to our note on La Partage, you will get most bang from your buck on a French Wheel. Try the French Roulette over at Royal Panda. Many strategies use even money bets like the Whittacker roulette system.